Save and restore window layouts on Mac

1. Save your Mac window layout

1. Arrange the windows you want to save

   Connect the displays you use for this setup, open your apps and documents, then position and resize their windows. Bring back minimized windows, leave full screen and unhide any apps you want included

2. Save the arrangement as a workspace

   Open 1Layout Settings → Workspaces and choose Save Windows. If you already have saved workspaces, use the + menu to find Save Windows

3. Give the workspace a useful name

   Open the saved workspace and rename it for the setup, such as Desk, Writing or Laptop. Check the saved windows and their display assignments before relying on the layout

2. Restore the saved layout

Open the 1Layout menu in the macOS menu bar and choose the workspace by name. You can also open the workspace in Settings and choose Restore

For keyboard access, record a Shortcut in the workspace details. Press that shortcut from any app to restore the workspace

Try a manual restore before enabling automation: move a saved window, restore the workspace, then check its position and the restore result. Keep the original display setup connected for this first check

3. Choose when to restore automatically

Open the saved workspace and use its Restore settings. Enable the events you actually want rather than turning every switch on

Restore When Back on These Displays

Use this for a desk or dock setup. When displays are connected or disconnected, 1Layout waits for the display configuration to settle and checks for a matching saved display set. Changing resolution alone does not trigger it

Restore at Login

Also enable Open at Login for 1Layout. This restore runs when 1Layout launches as a login item and the connected displays match the workspace

Restore After Wake or Unlock

Restore on waking or unlocking your Mac once the displays have settled. The connected display set must match the workspace

Place New Windows at Saved Positions

While this workspace is active, place matching windows from newly opened apps or newly created windows into available saved positions. This is not a full restore of every window

4. Update the layout as your work changes

If you have rearranged the real windows and want to keep those changes, use Update Positions in the workspace. This updates the saved positions of windows that have moved

To design the saved arrangement directly, choose Edit on Screen. Move and resize window blocks, or add and remove windows. Connect at least one of the workspace’s saved displays before opening the on-screen editor

Keep separate workspaces for setups that differ, such as a laptop-only layout and a desk with an external display. Restore each one manually once before enabling its automatic triggers

If a window does not restore as expected

A window was not saved

Minimized and full-screen windows, and windows of hidden apps, are excluded from capture. Bring them back to normal windows and save again; check any capture warnings for other windows that could not be read

An app or document is missing

Check Open Apps That Aren’t Running in the workspace. Starting an app does not guarantee it will reopen every document or browser tab; open the required windows yourself, then restore again

The wrong window was placed

With several windows from one app, inspect the matching rule for the saved window. The default prefers similar titles; a title-contains rule can narrow the match when you need a particular window

Automatic restore did not run

Confirm that 1Layout is on, Accessibility access is granted, the relevant restore switch is enabled and the connected displays match. For login restore, also check that 1Layout is allowed to open at login

A window kept a different size or display

Read the restore result for display-mapping or window-size limits. A disconnected saved display may be mapped to the primary display, and an app may limit resizing. Reconnect the intended displays and check the affected window before saving changes

Still need help? Contact 1Layout support with your macOS version, display setup and the message shown in the restore result

Try it with your own windows

Download 1Layout and try the full version free for 14 days. Workspaces sit alongside layouts, gestures, shortcuts and Dock controls in one Mac app

Explore 1Layout workspace features